East German general election, 1950
Parliamentary elections were held in the German Democratic Republic on 19 October 1950. They were the first held since the founding of the country on 7 October 1949. There were 466 deputies to the Volkskammer (66 from East Berlin who were not directly elected) in total.
Voters were presented with a single list from the National Front of Democratic Germany, which in turn was controlled by the Communist Socialist Unity Party. As would be the case in all elections in East Germany, only one candidate appeared on the ballot. Voters simply took the ballot paper and dropped it into the ballot box. Those who wanted to vote against the candidate had to go to a special booth, without any secrecy.[1] Seats were apportioned based on a set quota, not actual vote totals.[2] By ensuring that its candidates dominated the list, the SED effectively predetermined the composition of the Volkskammer.
According to official figures, the National Front list received the approval of 99.6% of voters, with turnout reported to be 98.5%.[3]
Results
| Party | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| National Front | 12,088,745 | 99.6 |
| Against | 51,187 | 0.4 |
| Invalid/blank votes | ||
| Total | 12,139,932 | 100 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 12,325,168 | 98.5 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||
Seat distribution
References
- ↑ Sebetsyen, Victor (2009). Revolution 1989: The Fall of the Soviet Empire. New York City: Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-375-42532-2.
- ↑ Eugene Register-Guard October 29, 1989. p. 5A.
- ↑ Nohlen, D & Stöver, P (2010) Elections in Europe: A data handbook, p779 ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7
